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NEW YORK (AP) -- Richard Riehle, a prolific character actor in TV and film who often played authority figures but was equally skilled at comedy, notably playing a sad-sack product manager in "Office Space," has died. He was 78.
Wright Entertainment Inc. said Monday that Riehle had died Oct. 15 but disclosed no cause or details. "Our industry has lost an exceptional talent, and our community has lost a truly wonderful man," said a statement.
Riehle's almost five-decade career included playing a quartermaster in the Civil War drama "Glory," a prison guard in "The Fugitive," an air marshal in "Executive Decision," a police officer in a guest spot on "The West Wing" and a principal on the TV adaptation of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."
"If a casting director has found themselves in need of a burly, blustery, mustachioed man for their project, Richard Riehle has likely been near the top of their list," The AV Club said in 2017.
He fell into acting as a senior at the University of Notre Dame. He couldn't really afford to stay another year but was told he could take all the credits he needed in speech and drama in one semester. He stayed.
"I spent a semester doing anything and everything that you do in the theater -- acting, directing, building sets, etc. -- and then for some reason they liked what I did enough that they got me a teaching assistantship at the University of Minnesota. So I went on and got my MFA (Masters of Fine Arts). I figured, 'What the heck? If they're gonna pay me to do it, I'm gonna do it!'" he told the AV Club.